Of Tree Tops and Heartbeats
by ArmedWithAPen
Summary: Kurt Wagner thinks he is different. Ororo Munroe knows he is not. Nightcrawler/Storm, if you squint. One-shot.


_A/N: Something I cooked up a little while ago during a thunderstorm when I should have been doing my homework. :) Ah, procrastination. _

DISCLAIMER: Unfortunately, I own neither of the following characters. Fortunately, someone does, and has the thoughtfulness to allow me to borrow them for a moment or two.

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Kurt Wagner sat, forlorn, in the topmost branch of a giant pine tree. One of the many trees that surrounded the Xavier School for Gifted Individuals.

The pine tree the young mutant occupied was tall, slim, and green. Just like all the others around it, he thought bitterly. Not a single one looks out of place or different from its brothers.

He stared down at his enormous blue hands. They were alien hands, divided only into two thick fingers and a thumb, claws where nails should have been. His long spaded tail wrapped unconsciously around the trunk of the tree to keep him from falling.

Even the people who called the mansion home…other mutants like him…looked at least remotely human. They could go out in public without having to stick to the shadows, creeping along like a nightmare.

"A mutant among mutants," he snarled at his hands, balling them into tight fists. His amber eyes burned. He had always been self conscious of his appearance; for some reason it stung all the worse right now.

"Kurt!"

The voice shocked the mutant out of his stormy mood. He glanced up quickly, and, on raising his indigo face, was horrified to discover it streaked with salt water.

"Kurt! You here?"

He wiped away the tears quickly, rising from his position on the tree. "_Ja_, _Fraulein. _I'm here."

A dark skinned, white haired beauty was soaring right above his hiding place, her chocolate eyes shaded as she searched for her quarry.

At his reply, the lady turned her face downwards, her confused frown brightening when she spotted him.

Ororo Munroe gently glided down towards him, smiling her regal smile. "There you are."

Kurt opened his hands and held them out, coaxing a small grin onto his lips. "Here I am."

Ororo hovered over the branch for a minute before alighting on it as softly as a dove. She straightened her gray turtleneck, grinning. "I've been looking all over for you. It's almost dinner, do you wanna come in…?"

He was sure his fake smile had never left his countenance, yet Storm's face fell from a smile to a concerned frown.

"Kurt," she asked, stepping closer. "What's the matter?"

He backed away, crossing his arms over his chest, frowning defensively. "No'sing, _Fraulein. _It is no'sing."

She wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?" she pressed. He turned his face away and she reached out and made him look in her deep eyes. "You wanna talk about it?"

At Storm's soft touch on his face, the German mutant blushed a dark purple, but he quickly got a hold of himself. He turned his back on her, his arms still crossed.

"Zere is no'sing to talk about, _Fraulein_," he muttered decisively. But his words were tainted a slight bit with unspoken sadness.

Ororo glided in front of him, her eyes kind and understanding. She placed both hands on his cheeks, her thumbs stroking their apples soothingly. Kurt wanted to melt to the floor.

"Kurt," she murmured. "You know you can tell me anything."

Maybe it would help his mood to get his feelings off his chest. Pulling away from her hands, which dropped limply to her sides, Kurt stepped backwards, holding out his arms.

"Ororo," he said, his voice steely and his amber eyes like flint. "Look at me."

She cocked her head to one side, her hands on her hips. "I am looking at you, Kurt." His mood was strange…like eternal sadness and pain rolled into one bundle. It frightened her a little bit.

"No, you are not." His eyes glowed brighter than usual, his sharp teeth were bared in a snarl. "Look at me!"

He ripped off the jacket, flinging it to the earth. His taut muscled chest was visible underneath his thin white shirt, the skin deep blue like the rest of him. His clawed hands were curled into fists and his pointed ears looked more prominent then ever in his frown.

"Look at what I am!" he bellowed, leaping off the branch Storm was standing on and swinging deftly from limb to limb. His movements were so agile and graceful, he looked like a fluid flowing through the tree. His tail aided him in the flips and loops. So swiftly she hardly had time to blink, Ororo found herself staring back into his golden eyes.

"I am not an animal, nor am I a man!" His voice was breaking, weak. No longer angry, now just resigned, defeated. "I am not a demon. What am I? Am I a mutant? I don't look like any of you more than I do any humans."

What he had just said had rushed out of him in a single rushed breath. He panted, passion ebbing from his veins, as he stumbled against the trunk of the tree. "I am no one."

He slumped against the tree, his eyes staring into space. Then he buried his face in his arms, propped up on his knees, ashamed that he had let his emotions rage so passionately. He didn't want to watch Ororo turn her back on him either.

There was silence, with nothing but darkness in front of his eyes.

Suddenly, there were footsteps approaching him on the tree limb, bark scraping against the soles of someone's feet.

A warm hand wove under his chin, pulling him up to face chocolate eyes.

Ororo crouched in front of him, her face serious and kind. Kurt felt like he was looking in the eyes of a queen.

"Here." She gently pried Kurt's right hand from its crossed position. Then she pressed it onto his chest. She stared at him. "What do you feel?"

He was confused. "_Fraulein, _vat do you…"

"Kurt, please," Ororo sighed. "What do you feel?"

A slow, steady thumping pounded a rhythm against Kurt's hand. "I feel mine heart, _Fraulein, _but…"

Storm interrupted him. She took her hands away from his and once more caressed his face. Gently, she pulled him towards her body, finally planting his pointed ear on her chest.

"Now," she whispered. "What do you hear?"

A gentle beat kissed his cheek. "Your heart, _Fraulein._"

"See?" she murmured. Her breath brushed through his hair. "Exactly the same."

_Exactly the same. _

"Now, come inside. Marie made strudel tonight, and it turned out pretty well. I didn't even have to use the fire-extinguisher…"

FIN.

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_A/N: Very short, but chemistry, English, and calculus beckoned. :( Reviews are rewarded with virtual brownies! _


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